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In comparison to many countries around the world, the U.S. economy is stable. But as Americans
gather around their turkey dinners next week, not many of them
will be giving thanks for the state of the economy.

A new poll from market research firm Harris Interactive finds that 17 percent
of adults are thankful for the nation's economic situation in
2013, up slightly from 14 percent in 2011 but down from 23
percent in 2010. Data from 2012 was not immediately available.

The percentage of adults thankful for the economic situation in
the U.S. is about a fifth of what it was in 1984, when 78 percent
of adults said they were thankful for the state of the U.S.
economy. It's important to note that, in 1984, the U.S. had just
emerged from a painful recession that had begun in 1980.

Harris polled almost 2,400 adults between Oct. 16 and 21 for the
report, which was released this week.

While not many adults are thankful for the state of the national
economy this year, a much greater portion of Americans are
thankful for their own financial state. More than six in 10
adults say they are thankful for their own personal economic
situation, down from eight in 10 in 1980.

While Americans are pretty bummed out about the economy this
Thanksgiving, they are excited to fill up on turkey, stuffing and
pumpkin pie. Four in 10 survey respondents get the most excited
for turkey, two crave stuffing the most and a bit more than one
in 10 hanker for pumpkin pie more than any other Thanksgiving
treat.

While excitement is fairly split about what is the best, most
exciting dish at the main dinner event, there is a healthy
consensus that leftovers are where the magic happens. Two-thirds
of survey respondents say leftovers are more important than
Thanksgiving dinner.